


Obsidian Ambitions

by Cakegasm



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Anger, Cocky, Enemies to Friends, Gaming, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Halloween, Hurt, Mild Gore, One Shot, Rage, Shadowfall (Apex Legends), Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Teamwork, Video Game, Yes I know this is a bit early/late to be posting Halloween related things, humble, ish, reader insert kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:53:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cakegasm/pseuds/Cakegasm
Summary: Feel the rage within as you experience Apex's Shadowfall contest. Will you succumb to the Shadows?
Kudos: 2





	Obsidian Ambitions

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't entirely a reader-insert and is actually based off of a (less dramatic) experience I had during the Shadowfall event. The characters depicted are not meant to portray any specific Legends, vague descriptions were given based off of my lack of knowledge on the other player implemented in this short story.

Entering in a high stakes contest, you found yourself being transported to a semi-deserted island where you would fight tooth and nail to be the victor. There was a catch, however; you’d be going up against hordes of  _ Shadows _ . You were never one to care much for the logistics of things, so you zoned out when the entities were explained. All you soaked up from the briefing was respawning, not yourself, anger, yada yada. You didn’t care. You just knew that with a gun, nothing was scary. 

What a joke that was. 

Ready to get down to business, you leaped from the aircraft and descended upon the land before you. You could hear the distant whoops, cheers, and sneers from some of the other riffraffs whizzing by but you stayed focused and refused to let them get to you. You were on a mission.

After scoping out the perfect destination you pulled back on your thrusters and braced yourself for landing. You immediately sprang into action, racing towards the vacant buildings and looting anything that wasn’t nailed down. Something was off about the area you dropped in, like there was someone lurking around. No one was there, you made sure of it before you ever decided to land. 

Why did you feel preyed on?

Shrugging, you picked through an office building. Your ego getting the better of you, you began to make too much noise. No one was around, so why did it matter? You threw objects around the room you were occupying, unsatisfied with the items. You were within the zone and you were in a nice, secure building with  _ maybe _ one or two entrances but you couldn’t help but to feel as though you were falling behind already. 

“ _ New kill leader!”  _ Announced through the comms, echoing around the desolate town you settled in. Despite your pride, you nearly jumped out of your skin the moment the woman’s voice reached your ears. 

You were almost ready to give up and move on to the next location, but your foot struck something on the floor, sending it skittering towards the gaping elevator shaft. It was too dark in the room to properly see anything, so you thought nothing of it at first until you shined your light on the item.  _ Bingo! _ You thought to yourself, picking up the newfound assault rifle. It was an R-301. 

You bent down to pick the weapon up but a hand grasped at your wrist from the elevator shaft, sending the gun hurling down the hole. The hand was a gelatinous black streaked with an orange, almost lightning, glow; the orange buzzed and cracked like an electrical current. You couldn’t look away, you were too mesmerized by the colors, by the texture. 

Snapping back to your senses, you feverishly struggled against the monster’s grip, digging your heels into the ground to steady yourself. It yanked you down, attempting to crawl up the shaft using you as leverage. You were pinned down, your arm feeling like it was going to pop from its socket. How could you have been so stupid — so reckless?

The Shadow snarled as its head peeked up from the bottom of the elevator shaft. Its eyes were a hateful, sinful orange. Two suns sitting perfectly within its greedy skull, staring right into your very soul. The aura around the creature was murderous, evil, and angry. You could feel the heat of its rage burning into your wrist as it climbed up. Sharp, heated nails pierced your skin. You hissed and attempted to struggle once more, leading to further injury as the nails sliced your flesh. 

The deafening crack of a shotgun sounded off right next to your ear and viscous black goo exploded across your face. You peered over the edge of the opening but didn’t see anything, no body, no blood, no loot. You could  _ faintly _ make out the shape of your gun from before but it was too dark to see much else. 

Cool metal pressed against your back and you sighed, closing your eyes and inhaling slowly. You realized you were wrong for treating this contest like a silly game, like something a child could do. You were in over your head and you knew that. The stakes were high and you were in unfamiliar territory, at the grace of no one but yourself. 

You raised your hands up and spread them out to either side of you, flexing your fingers to show the person behind you that you were unarmed and meant no harm. That didn’t matter, of course. Any sane person would take the shot regardless. You were a free kill for them, nothing more than a number on their roster. Another head to step on to win the game. 

The metal against your back disappeared and a gun slid next to you, bumping your right thigh. You cautiously cut your eyes over to the item and recognized it as another R-301, almost exactly like the one you dropped previously, though this one had blue paint on it. You scrambled to snatch up the rifle, but a heavy boot trapped your hand on the ground. Your eyes trailed all the way up to a masked stranger. You silently pleaded with them, fear painting over your features. They nodded and lifted Their foot, allowing you to collect the weapon. 

Once the two of you were absolutely certain the other was not a threat, you began to move as a duo within the wrecked building. On more than one occasion the masked stranger put Their finger up to Their covered lips, urging you to stop making so much noise. You sheepishly apologized but realized They couldn’t understand you, only actions would suffice for communication. 

Deciding the building was a lost cause, the stranger motioned for you two to leave. You obliged and the both of you sneaked outside, staying low to the ground and listening for any oncoming attacks. The area was quiet for the most part, only really giving away the location of more freaks as they snarled and buzzed somewhere within the other buildings. The thought of encountering another one sent shivers down your spine. A sharp, burning pain from your wrist reminded you to stay humble. 

You walked for what felt like hours, though it was only minutes, until you approached a particularly lively town. The two of you didn’t seem to hear any of the Shadows, just normal people as they fought each other for the figurative throne. Stranger gently tapped your shoulder and pointed at a noisy building. You hesitated, but it was obvious They were going to go in with or without you, so you agreed to follow. You owed them, anyways. 

Adrenaline coated your veins and you felt just as pumped as the moment you arrived on this fucked up island. You were finally going to see some action! Stranger slowly approached the front door, careful as They pushed it open. Gunshots sounded off upstairs, heavy thudding as bodies fell lifeless. The stench of iron was thick in the air, the source splattered across walls and pooling on the floor. 

Stranger put Their arm out to stop you from going any further, attempting to peek the stairs for themselves. They looked at you and held up two fingers. You nodded and patted your chest then pointed at the ground, essentially asking if They wanted you to stand guard downstairs. After a moment of figuring out the message, They vigorously nodded and patted your shoulder, giving you a thumbs up before ascending the stairs. 

They were gone for only a moment and silence enveloped the building but soon came rampant gunfire. Your hair stood on end and your mouth went dry as you listened to the fight, wondering if you should intervene. The crack of a shotgun rang out triumphantly, rapid footsteps following suit. Stranger poked Their head around the corner and gave you another thumbs up, offering for you to come upstairs. 

“You’re a monster,” you smiled as you scanned the room. There were no bodies, thank goodness, but there were several death boxes and blood around to indicate obvious signs of fighting and, well, death. You thanked the stars above that you two didn’t come a moment sooner, only witnessing the ass end of a slaughter. 

Looking over the various boxes, you picked up things you needed and tossed most of it to Stranger, who seemed a lot less desperate for loot. You patted your chest and pointed at the ground again, wanting to go scavenge the bottom floor. Stranger nodded and kept sifting through the boxes, audibly gasping as They finally found the good stuff. 

Downstairs there weren't as many boxes but they all seemed to be marked as high-tier loot. You sat on your knees and began opening the crates, rummaging through the gear. You snagged purple body armor and found some medicine for you and Stranger. Ammo was in abundance as you looked deeper into one of the crates. 

Snarling echoed through the town, followed by a high-pitched buzz. Your blood ran cold and you froze in place, trying so hard to be quiet for your own sake. You weren’t ready to fight another Shadow, not so soon. Even if you  _ did _ have company this time. It didn’t matter. It was like they could smell your fear. The Shadows let out a blood curdling scream as they approached your building. You caught a glimpse of them through a window; there were at least a dozen, all beelining for you and your friend. The two of you couldn’t possibly fend them off. 

The first wave of Shadows slammed into the front door, belting out a screech as they struggled with the thick metal. They refused to give up, continuously crashing their awkward bodies against the door. Though your legs were shaking and you felt like puking, you raced up the stairs two at a time. 

You reached the top and began to call out for Stranger but a gunshot interrupted you. You took a step forward and collapsed onto the ground, holding your stomach. Stranger ran towards you and slumped to Their knees, collecting you in Their arms for a brief moment. You understood perfectly well what happened and you accepted it. 

Stranger pulled Their mask up, mouthing  _ I’m sorry _ before They settled you onto the floor and took off towards the roof of the building. You understood but you still felt a hint of betrayal. A slight nagging feeling that you were never in this together and They simply took Their chance and ran. You were truly alone, left to your own demise. Your body felt cold and your vision began to ebb. You were tired, that was all. A good rest would set you straight. 

You gave in to your exhaustion and tumbled into the darkness beyond, warmth leaving your very soul as you feel deeper into the abyss. You were tired. So, so tired. You wanted nothing more than to drift off to sleep, to be done with existence and rest. 

**_No_ ** . A voice hissed in your ear, hot and damp. You tugged your eyes open and looked around only to find yourself plummeting to the ground below. Your body struck the ground and you wheezed at the impact, staggering as you stood up. You limped around and scanned the land with your aching eyes. Everything was dark and the edges of your vision pulsed with veiny black tendrils. 

What was happening?

The air was thick with the smell of blood and your mouth watered at the stench. Your body filled with so much heat at the thought of sinking your claws into another person; you wanted so desperately to rip someone’s throat out and swallow it. You deserved it, after all. You were the alpha predator and the rest of them were weak specimens not meant for anything more than stepping on. Their existence was angering and pathetic. 

A guttural growl erupted from your throat, your rage pushing you towards a nearby town, completely dismissing your injuries. You were going to crush anything in your way, you didn’t care what or who. They were all useless and inferior. 

Shadows screeched as you approached the deserted town but they didn’t bother with you, you weren’t their target. Several black and orange bodies were gathered near a specific building, clawing and banging at the doors and windows. They were interested in whatever was in that building. 

With a roar, you charged the building and crashed into the heavy doors. You tumbled into the room and slid along the floor, almost wiping out as a whole. Blood flooded at your feet, at least two inches thick. A massacre happened in that building and you were furious for being left out of it. 

The Shadows all filed into the room around you, sniffing around the crates lying around. Unhappy with their findings, they took off towards the stairs, some climbing them on all fours. Whatever they were looking for, it was upstairs. You followed behind them, just as eager to hunt as they were. You shoved bodies out of your way as you made it into the cramped quarters, growling at any that dared touch you. 

Nothing of actual interest was in the room, simply more boxes. One seemed to catch your eye, however, as you prowled past it. You stopped dead in your tracks and inhaled deeply, investigating the seemingly normal crate. Something wreaked — and it was delicious. You dropped to your knees and sniffed along the lid of the box, drinking in the scent. Something about it was oddly familiar. 

Something snapped within you, though you still couldn’t put your finger on what you were smelling. All you knew was that the smell filled you with rage, so unbearable and hot. Your blood boiled and what felt like lava filled your core. You wasted no time in tracking the scent, trying to find the source of what was angering you so. 

You bounded for the second set of stairs, making your way to the roof of the building. Some of the Shadows followed suit, though keeping a distance from you as to not feel your heated wrath. Crashing through the door, you inhaled sharply. The scent from before wasn’t very strong, but you could still make out a trail. You jumped from the roof and rolled with the landing, regaining traction and bolting for the source. More Shadows were hot on your tail, eager to participate in the hunt. 

The trail led you all to a giant aircraft where multiple people were set up, ready to defend themselves from something. You realized they were ready to defend from  _ you _ .  _ Shadows. _ They were ready to unload everything they had and keep you from taking them down. 

Gunfire blasted without a single hesitation hesitation, bombarding your horde with searing metal. It was like a wave of bullets, insistent and crashing. You raised your arms to shield your face and you hissed at the sensation. Bullets penetrated your flesh and burned into the bone but that heat was stolen and put into your rage, urging you forward. The scent from before was intoxicating now, the entire battlefield wreaking of it. 

While the Shadows lunged for some of the firing squads, you took cover behind a wrecked building and plotted out your moves. There were at least ten people with weapons, all ready to fend off your attacks. You had to be smarter, more strategic then your barbaric allies if you wanted to get to the pathetic prey among you. You wanted them to feel as you did, so filled with anger and hate. You wanted all of them to suffer.

Your anger got the better of you and you fled from cover, eager to find any and everything to lash out on. You quickly spotted a helpless person who was stuck trying to reload their weapon. Butterflies exploded inside of your gut and you felt such a rush as you hurtled towards them. You were practically drooling at the thought of finally getting to sink your claws into squishy skin. 

You snatched the person up by their throat, rising them up off the ground above your head. You grinned wickedly as they clawed at your steeled hand. They kicked and grunted, trying so hard to wiggle free from you. They were pathetic, weak, and so fucking delicious to watch. 

A shotgun blasted you in the side and you dropped your prey. You grunted in pain and snapped your head to the left, glaring at whoever  _ dared _ intervene. You met eye-to-mask with the assailant, something so familiar in the way they looked. The way they  _ smelled _ . You inhaled deeply and grinned once more. They were the one you caught whiff of. 

You lunged forward, wrestling the gun out of their hands and kicking them to the ground. You looked down at them, your smile broader and brighter than the sun itself. Heat resonated from your body and steam rolled off of your shoulders. You were angry, so hateful. You wanted to  _ murder _ the person before you, helpless and weak. You yearned to snuff out their light, to plunge their world into darkness. 

_ Just as They did to you. _

You shook your head, throwing that thought out. Something in you woke up and your body cooled to a simmer. You peered down at the figure, glaring at Their mask. One side of it was shattered and you could see parts of Their face. Their exposed eye was painted with fear, tears brimming inside of it, pleading with you. You remembered that look; it was one you wore just hours prior. When you were at the mercy of Stranger.  _ Stranger. _

You turned on your heel and struck the nearest Shadow to you, sending it crashing into a group of more black figures. They all growled and hissed at you. Two began to circle you, sizing you up. You tossed a quick glance behind you and noticed that Stranger had fled.  _ Good _ . You thought. The aircraft groaned as it prepared for launch, catching the attention of the group ready to pounce on you. Realizing you weren’t worth their time, they bolted for the remaining people clambering for the craft.

Stranger was the last to board. A Shadow successfully snagged Their foot, attempting to drag them down to the ground. You ran as fast as you could, wanting to do  _ anything _ to save your friend. You connected your fist with the Shadow’s temple. It screeched in pain and returned the favor, socking you right in the jaw. A brawl broke out amongst the Shadows, trapping you in the middle. 

The aircraft lifted off. You stared up at it, at the person dangling over the edge extending Their hand out. You shoved through the brawling crowd and jumped up to grab the lip of the aircraft. Stranger laughed, tugging at your arms to lift you up. Shadows began to grab your ankles, bringing you down. The sheer weight and strength was enough to start bringing the aircraft down with you. You knew what you had to do.

You patted your chest and pointed at the ground, giving a thumbs up to Stranger. They shook Their head and pulled harder. You placed your hand on Their shoulder and nodded. You weren’t angry at them anymore, what happened was an accident. You had your chance at winning, now it was Theirs. Everyone else’s. You refused to let your selfish desires ruin their earned victory. 

You used your Shadow strength to pry Their hands off of you. They gasped as you fell back down to the crowd below. You weakly gave a thumbs up and nodded, the horde beginning to swarm you and swallow your disfigured body in a sea of obsidian. They waved you goodbye as the ship sped out of there. You smiled to yourself, humbled by your experience on the island. 


End file.
